Apparatus for lining a hot top casing with insulating panels and ring

ABSTRACT

A hot top casing with a downwardly tapered pouring opening is lowered around an upwardly tapered stand of one or more inclined insulating panels and a ring to line the casing, with or without clips or attachment devices to hold the panels and ring in place.

[ 51 July 11, 1972 United States Patent Perri [56] Relereneee Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,049,850 8/1936 Lytle ct [54] APPARATUS FOR LINING A HOT TOP CASINGWITHINSULATINGPANEIS ANDRING .2I4/8.5 D ....2l4/8.5 D UX .249/20l [72] Inventor: Joseph Perri, Corapolis, Pa.

[73] Assignee: The Susquehanna Corporation, Fairfax 3,279,664 10/1966 County,Va. 3,458,169 7/l969 JulyZ, I969 Appl.No.: 842,076

[22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-James M. Meister Altomey-Martha L. Ross Related US. Application Data mm m "mm mmwm WSW m mmm W Wmmo INS... m mmmm yam h NW a aumm M M m m 9 c mm Dhmzl M mmmmd A.w.m m.m M 9123 M MW 5 m Maw 2 o. m f 9 e m m ms a 6 mm mm M nun w www SHEET 10F 3 m m M M m %m P I H a H a w J M PATENTEDJUL 1 1 m2 SHEET 2 BF 3 INVENTOR JOSEPH PERR/ PATENTEUJUL 1 1 m2 SH'LEI 3 BF 3 m m P H p m J ATTORNEY APPARATUS F OR LINING A HOT TOP CASING WITH INSULATING PANELS AND RING CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 726,] IS, filed May 2, I968, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At present, most hot top casings used in the pouring of steel ingots are provided near the top with laterally projecting lifting lugs for engagement by crane hooks, by which the hot top can be raised and lowered and transported. The hot tops also are provided with a pair of laterally projecting trunnions located at the center of gravity. When the hot top casing is to be lined with insulating panels, it is deposited by a crane on a stand, with its trunnions supported in such a manner that the casing can be rotated 180 to invert it. The insulating panels then are inserted in the downwardly tapered pouring opening, but to be moved down into final position the practice is to lay a board along the upper edge of each panel and pound on it with a mallet to force the panel down into place. Since the openings through the hot tops often vary a little in size and the panels are not always the same thickness, it sometimes requires considerable pounding to force the panels into place. This not only consumes a considerable amount of time, but it is likely to break or damage the panels. After the panels have been applied to the casing, a refractory bottom ring is placed on top of the casing and fastened to it by clips. The hot top then has to be rotated again to turn it right side up, after which it is removed from the stand by a crane.

Further, at times the insulating panels, or set of insulating panels, are slightly smaller than the opening in the casing and the ends of the panels will fall below the edge of the casing. In this instance, quite frequently an open space remains between the ends of the panels and the bottom ring after final assembly. This open space, if permitted to remain, renders the casing vulnerable to attack by the molten metal during the pouring operation causing damage to the casing or perhaps a complete loss of the poured ingot due to sticking of the casing or other.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide improved apparatus for lining a hot top casing with insulating panels, in which no pounding of the panels into place is required, in which the weight of the casings is used for forcing the panels into place, and in which it is unnecessary to turn the casing bottom-side up.

Other objects are to provide such apparatus for lining a hot top casing with insulating panels which is simple in construction, which lines the casings while they are right side up, which is simple to use, and which is rapid in operation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention comprises apparatus for lining the upwardly tapered pouring opening through a hot top metal casing with insulating panels. An upwardly tapered stand is adapted to support the panels on edge in an upwardly tapered configuration corresponding to the size and shape of the opening in the casing. The casing is lowered around the panels to provide a press fit. Means for guiding the hot top casing as it is lowered is provided also.

This invention provides the advantages of eliminating the need for rotating a hot top casing to line it with insulating panels; eliminates the need for the stand upon which the cas ing is rotated; provides a simple, easy and economical apparatus for installing insulating panels and rings; and permits an efiicient utilization of manpower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. I is a plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in section, showing a casing about to be lowered;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, with the casing just short of final position;

FIG. 4 is a side view, turned from FIGS. 2 and 3, showing the casing in final position;

FIG. 5 is a three dimensional sketch showing panels and a refractory ring in an upwardly tapered configuration; and

FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are sectional side views of a portion of panels, ring and casing showing modifications of panel, ring and casing structures within the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the Figs. of the drawings, all like parts are numbered the same; and referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a support or assembly table 1 is constructed in any desired way, but must be strong enough to support the heavy metal casing of a hot top. Rigidly mounted on top of the table some distance inwardly from its outer edges is an upwardly tapered stand. This stand may be made from a group of upwardly converging metal bars 2 secured together at their upper ends by horizontal girts 3. The lower ends of the bars are welded to the top of the table. The shape of the stand will depend upon the shape of the pouring openings in the hot top casings that are to make use of the apparatus. For example, the stand shown for the purpose of illustration of the invention is square in horizontal section and therefore, hot top casings with square openings will be used with this stand. The inclination of the sides of the stand is substantially the same as the inclination of the sides of the tapered pouring openings through the casings; however, the stand is smaller in horizontal section than the casing openings by an amount equal to the thickness of the insulating panels that will be used with the stand.

In using this apparatus, a refractory bottom ring 5 of any suitable construction is lowered over the stand by workmen, or assembled around it, and seated on the top of the table around the base of the stand as shown in FIG. 2. The inner edge of the ring will engage the stand or come close to it. An insulating panel 6 then is laid against each side of the stand, with the lower edge of the panel resting on the inner edge portion of the bottom ring. The composition of the insulating panels can be anything desired as it has nothing to do with this invention. For example, they may be formed simply of insulating material, or of exothermic material, or of a mixture of both. The mill crane 7 now picks up an empty hot top casing 8 by its lifting lugs 9 and positions it above the stand in as near axial alignment therewith as possible. The empty casing now is slowly lowered down to and around the stand and the inclined panels supported by it. In other words, the casing is telescoped over the stand until the bottom of the casing rests on the refractory bottom ring. When in this position, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 7, and 8, the panels will be in engagement with adjacent sides of the opening through the casing and, because the upright edges of the panels are forced into tight engagement with one another, the panels will remain in place and form an insulating lining for the casing. Any of the normal irregularities in the size of the opening or of the panels will not keep the panels from being fully inserted in the opening, because the great weight of the casing will cause it to force itself down over the panels until it seats on the ring. It is therefore unnecessary to pound the panels into place and they will not be damaged.

In order to fasten the refractory ring to the metal casing by the usual retaining clips, the top of table I is provided with a number of slots ll through it which extend inwardly from its edge and across the bottom of the bottom ring. Clips 12 then can be inserted in these slots and hooked under the bottom ring and then their upper ends hooked into the usual holes 13 in the side of the casing. After this has been done, the complete hot top can be lifted by the crane from the support and stand and transported to any desired location. A new bottom ring and new panels are then mounted on the table and stand for receiving the next empty hot top casing.

Although by being very careful the crane man can lower the hot top casing in axial alignment with the stand, it is desirable to provide this apparatus with means for guiding the casing to make sure that it will be centered on the stand as it is lowered. For this purpose, a pair of laterally spaced upright guide bars may be mounted on the support at two opposite sides of the stand. The lower ends of these bars may be supported by a pair of horizontal channels 16 extending across the support beneath the top of the table and welded to the table frame. The bars, which may be angle bars, extend upwardly from these panels in parallel relation to a point above the stand. The upper portions of the bars in each pair diverge. Also, the diverging portions of each pair of bars preferably are inclined outwardly away from the other pair. The distance between the parallel portions of the bars in each pair is only a little greater than the width of a lateral projection of the hot top casing that will slide down between the bars. This projection may be the usual trunnion, or it may be a lug 17 since trunnions no longer are necessary. When the casing is lowered between the two pairs of guide bars, the two lugs will enter between the adjoining guide bars which will then guide the casing downwardly by preventing it from moving horizontally along a line connecting the two lifting lugs. To prevent the casing from moving horizontally at right angles to that line, the two pairs of guide bars are close enough together to be nearly engaged by side portions of the casing at the same sides as the guiding lugs, as shown in FIG. 3. Consequently, the descending casing is compelled to align itself with the underlying stand and to stay in alignment with it as the casing is lowered. This guided alignment will occur even though the crane man has not positioned the casing quite correctly over the stand.

In lowering the casing around the stand there is danger of the casing descending so rapidly that it will strike the refractory bottom ring on the table with too much force and break or crush the ring. To avoid any such possibility, this apparatus may be provided with means for controlling the final portion of the downward movement of the casing around the stand. This is controlled by a workman stationed beside the stand. The control is exercised by providing the support I with means for stopping the downward movement of the casing just before it reaches the bottom ring, and then switching the lowering operation from the crane to means under the direct control of the workman just mentioned. To accomplish all of this a cam shaft 20 extending lengthwise between the two channels 16 is rotatably supported in vertical plates 21 connecting them. Between the two guide bars 15 at each end of the channel a cam 22 is rigidly mounted on the shaft, which can be turned by a handle 23 connected to one end, or by mechanical means if desired.

Resting on each cam is a vertical member, such as a rod 25, which extends upwardly a short distance between the adjoining two guide bars. This rod is slidable vertically in horizontal guide plates 26 welded to the bars. Screwed onto, or otherwise secured to, the upper end of each rod is a saddle member 27 adapted to receive and support one of the guide lugs 17 projecting from the hot top casing. While the casing is being lowered by the crane, the high parts of the cams support the saddles in their upper position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The position of the saddles at this time is such that, when guide lugs 17 on the casing are stopped by the saddles, the bottom of the casing will be spaced a short distance from the top of the refractory bottom ring, as shown in FIG. 3. The crane hooks continue to be lowered a short distance, but the casing remains stationary stopped by the two saddles. The operator then grips the handle and rotates the cam shaft to allow the two rods to slide down the cams to their low points, as shown in FIG. 4. The extent of the downward movement is great enough to seat the casing on the bottom ring, but as the cam shaft can be rotated as slowly as desired by the operator, the casing is lowered slowly during this final portion of its final movement and comes to rest on the bottom ring gently enough to avoid any damage to the ring. The ring then is attached by clips 12 to the casing as previously explained, and the crane is reversed to lift the completed line hot top from the table.

Another embodiment of this invention is shown in FIG. 5 wherein insulating panels 6 are prepared in the desired upstanding configuration and refractory ring 5 is lowered around the panels. Although insulating panels 6 are shown in an upwardly tapered configuration having a square cross-section, it is clear diat the panels may be located or arranged in any fashion to produce any desired cross-section to conform to the shape of the casing to be lined. Also, insulating panels may be made in one or more sections such as upwardly standing V section 30 and 3t or U sections as indicated by dotted lines 32 and 33. It is clear also that insulating panels 6 may be in one unitary section to conform to the surface of the metal casing to be lined. The upward standing configuration may be prepared around or located on the stand apparatus described previously or may be located and prepared without a stand as shown in FIG. 5. After preparation of the upwardly standing panel configuration, refractory ring 5, prepared with an opening to conform to the shape of the configuration, is placed around the configuration and lowered to the bottom portion of the configuration where the sides of the opening in the ring will contact the sides of the panels. The size of the opening is ring 5 is controlled so that the ring will move easily down around the top portion of the panel configuration but will not move to the bottom portion until the panels are pressed together and the inner ring surface compressed or deformed slightly.

After assembly in this manner, the hot top casing may be lowered around the panel-ring configuration, and the weight of the hot top casing will drive the panels up inside of it as in the previous embodiment. The refractory ring is forced to the bottom of the configuration giving a tight press-fit closure between the casing, the ring, and the panels which will permit the lifting of the loaded casing without the further insertion of clips or other supporting apparatus to attach the refractory ring to the casing, and a substantially void free panel surface is provided in the casing.

Further embodiments of the panel'refractory ring combination are shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8. In these figures, hot top casing 8 is shown in a lowered position around the upwardly standing configuration of panel 6 after refractory ring 5 has been forced to the bottom portion of the upwardly standing configuration. In FIG. 6 there is shown a modification of the bottom portion of the panel and the inside of the ring. In this embodiment, panel 6 is enlarged in thickness in the bottom portion at area 36 so that when ring 5 is forced around panel 6, there is greater compression between the ring and the panel which will give a more secure fit. Also, spring or fishhook stud 37 may be provided on the inner surface of casing 8 at suitable locations to provide an additional attaching means for panel 6 if needed or desired.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the bottom portion 39 of panel 6 is provided with ledge 40 extending out from panel 6 to provide a support means and ring 5 is provided with mating interlock means to lock with the panel. It is clear that any suitable design of support means and mating interlocking means for the panels and ring is within the scope of this invention.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, a spring clip 41 having point 42 and base support 43 may be placed around panel 6 or have bottom portion 43 embedded or made a part of ring 5. Then, when casing 8 is lowered around panels 6, ring 5 is forced to bottom portion 44 and point 42 is embedded into panel 6 by easing 8. This provides additional support for ring 5 and panels 6 when casing 8 is lifted or moved.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

I. Apparatus for lining with insulating panels a metal hot top casing having an upwardly tapered central pouring opening therethrough, said apparatus comprising a support, and an upwardly tapered stand mounted on the support conforming in shape to said opening but being smaller in horizontal section so that when a casing is lowered around the stand in axial alignment therewith the sides of the stand will be spaced laterally from the sides of said opening, the sides of the stand being adapted to support on edge insulating panels thick enough to fill the space between the stand and a casing lowered around the panels, and means mounted on said support for guiding a casing as it is lowered around said stand to maintain the casing in axial alignment with the stand, whereby to line the casing.

2. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim I, in which said guiding means include a pair of laterally spaced upright guide bars at each of two opposite sides of the stand, the bars of each pair having parallel portions beside the stand and diverging upper portions above the stand adapted to receive between them a lateral projection on a hot top casing and guide it substantially into engagement with said parallel portions as the casing is lowered.

3. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 2, in which said diverging portions of said bars are inclined outwardly away from the vertical axis of said stand, and said parallel portions of the bars are positioned to be substantially engaged by the adjacent sides of the casing as it is lowered between the two pairs of bars.

4. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 1, in which said support has a top around said stand for supporting a refractory bottom ring.

5. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 1, in which said support has a top around said stand for supporting a refractory bottom ring, and said top is provided with a plurality of slots therethrough extending inwardly toward the stand to permit clips to be placed under said ring for attaching it to the outside of a casing resting on the ring.

6. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 1, including means mounted on said support for controlling the final portion of the downward movement of a casing around said stand.

7. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 6, in which said controlling means include means for stopping the downward movement of a casing, and means for lowering said stopping means to complete the lowering of the casing.

8. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 6, in which said controlling means include cams at opposite sides of said support, vertically movable members supported by said cams and adapted to support lateral projections on the casing, and means for moving said cams to allow said members to descend to complete the lowering of the casing.

9. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 6, in which said controlling means include rotatable cams at opposite sides of said support, vertically movable members resting on the cams, means for guiding said members, and means for turning the cams to allow said members to descend to complete the lowering of the casing.

1 i i i 223 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 675 304 Dated July 11 1972 Inventor(s) seph Perri It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the Abstract, last line, after "place." insert Means for guiding and lowering the casing is disclosed also.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of December 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK EDWARD M.FLETCHER ,JE.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. Apparatus for lining with insulating panels a metal hot top casing having an upwardly tapered central pouring opening therethrough, said apparatus comprising a support, and an upwardly tapered stand mounted on the support conforming in shape to said opening but being smaller in horizontal section so that when a casing is lowered around the stand in axial alignment therewith the sides of the stand will be spaced laterally from the sides of said opening, the sides of the stand being adapted to support on edge insulating panels thick enough to fill the space between the stand and a casing lowered around the panels, and means mounted on said support for guiding a casing as it is lowered around said stand to maintain the casing in axial alignment with the stand, whereby to line the casing.
 2. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 1, in which said guiding means include a pair of laterally spaced upright guide bars at each of two opposite sides of the stand, the bars of each pair having parallel portions beside the stand and diverging upper portions above the stand adapted to receive between them a lateral projection on a hot top casing and guide it substantially into engagement with said parallel portions as the casing is lowered.
 3. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 2, in which said diverging portions of said bars are inclined outwardly away from the vertical axis of said stand, and said parallel portions of the bars are positioned to be substantially engaged by the adjacent sides of the casing as it is lowered between the two pairs of bars.
 4. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 1, in which said support has a top around said stand for supporting a refractory bottom ring.
 5. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 1, in which said support has a top around said stand for supporting a refractory bottom ring, and said top is provided with a plurality of slots therethrough extending inwardly toward the stand to permit clips to be placed under said ring for attaching it to the outside of a casing resting on the ring.
 6. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 1, including means mounted on said support for controlling the final portion of the downward movement of a casing around said stand.
 7. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 6, in which said controlling means include means for stopping the downward movement of a casing, and means for lowering said stopping means to complete the lowering of the casing.
 8. AppaRatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 6, in which said controlling means include cams at opposite sides of said support, vertically movable members supported by said cams and adapted to support lateral projections on the casing, and means for moving said cams to allow said members to descend to complete the lowering of the casing.
 9. Apparatus for lining a hot top casing in accordance with claim 6, in which said controlling means include rotatable cams at opposite sides of said support, vertically movable members resting on the cams, means for guiding said members, and means for turning the cams to allow said members to descend to complete the lowering of the casing. 